


Witches

by soniagiris



Series: the slivers of life [11]
Category: Dangan Ronpa 3: The End of 希望ヶ峰学園 | The End of Kibougamine Gakuen | End of Hope's Peak High School
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hope vs. Despair, Minor Character Death, Wordcount: 100-1.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2019-02-23 17:45:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13195305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soniagiris/pseuds/soniagiris
Summary: Hope will not prevail.





	Witches

**Author's Note:**

>   * **additional warnings in the end notes!**
>   * betaread by misty @mistropolis, bwess youw heawt ;w;
>   * title was taken from [this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yqt97jNt7Y)! you can listen to it when reading.
> 


He stays at Komaru's and Fukawa's apartment in Towa when Makoto goes to meet up with the Foundation's board. Or, rather, he is forced to stay there.   
His superiors explained their reasoning quite naturally. You took part in Naegi's unauthorized operation, so you are thus compromised, Togami-san. We deeply apologize for this inconvenience, but we think you get where our worries come from. You are not to cross the borders of Towa where we can keep our eyes on you. We trust you won't try escaping our sight.   
Fukawa sneers after he's done quoting that speech, crossing her arms over her chest and slouching down in a ratty chair.   
"T-this is just a b-bunch of horse shit."   
Komaru frowns at her friend, then takes Togami's hand and squeezes it, her face earnest as she says with utter conviction, "Makoto will solve this, you know. Give him a few days, and you'll see each other again."   
He smiles at her fleetingly. He hopes she's going to be right.   


* * *

The second the reruns of pre-apocalypse romcom series fade out of the screen and turn into the oh-so-familiar broadcast, Togami phones the First Branch and demands to be allowed to go to the HQ.   
He gets denied.   


* * *

Security at the rebuilt bridge has been doubled. Togami finds out the hard way. He doesn't care. His partner and two, maybe three, of his friends are stuck there.   


* * *

At dawn, Komaru gets back to the apartment and finds him sprawled on the floor, a half-empty bottle of vodka clutched in one hand.   
"Togami-chan," she whispers, and it reminds him of Makoto, of how it took him half a year to get used to calling him by his first name. "Don't- don't lose hope."   
"Komaru," he laughs bitterly, throat sore and dry. "Makoto's our hope, and he's going to die. I just- " he swallows, fancy words beyond his reach. Fancy words, fancy euphemisms, fancy masks to hide behind. But this is Komaru, small, beloved Komaru, so he refuses to care for it. "Yukizome is dead. She helped us out with Neo World Program, you know, and now she's dead. And I have no idea what to do," he says, almost silently, and she launches herself at him, hugs him tight. Even though his mind blurs, Togami still carefully decides not to think where's Fukawa. Komaru's tears soak through his rumpled shirt.   


* * *

Then, Aoi dies.   
It's so sudden, Togami thinks distantly as he turns off the televisor. Just a week ago, they went together to eat some donuts and drink lavished coffee Hagakure stole for them. Just a week ago, Asahina smiled and laughed, and cried a little when something he said made her think of Yuuta, and kissed his cheek in a goodbye. Just a week ago, her skin was warm and unbroken, and her hot, red blood stayed inside her delicate veins, and now...   
He bites his lower lip, clenches his fists, but the turmoil in his chest won't stop, refuses to stop. Hot droplets are spilling down his face, falling from his chin, down, down, and he-   
He doesn't make a sound.   
He stays strong.   
He hopes.   


* * *

In no more than forty-eight hours later, Naegi finds Kirigiri - or, rather, Kirigiri's body.   
Fukawa is present for that, for the long, terrible shot of Kyouko's limp body, pale face, the noose tight around her thin neck. She screams and curses and cries, and Komaru just wails for the sweet girl who taught her krav maga and told embarrassing stories about Makoto. And Naegi himself falls down on his knees and howls, the sound hauntingly muffled and short before he composes himself and goes on.   
Togami just closes his eyes and sits down on the carpet, too tired to cry. But, oh, how he wants it. He stays like that for a moment, then sneaks out to smoke, like he did with Kirigiri during their nights spent on pouring over various documents, her long fingers and sneaky smile still present, still alive.   
The next hour, he gets a message. He's allowed to leave Towa, to wait with the Foundation's medical team. He can't go inside, they explain that while the plane takes off, Komaru and Touko squirming beside him. He might fall into Despair.   


* * *

Meanwhile, they find out Hagakure is gone. Then, they find his body in a shrubbery; all bones cracked like glass. Must have fallen. He did not take part in the game, Togami thinks emotionlessly, watching his friend’s body be taken away. He was not a part of it. And, yet, he still died.   
Only three of us left.   


* * *

The game didn't even last a whole week.    
The traitor dies, their last smile full of despair.   
Out of the building come Munakata, Kimura - and Naegi. He's bloodied, bruised and rumpled, with a swollen lip, nasty cut next to his mouth, messy hair and tired eyes.   
He's smiling.   
Togami smiles, too. Feels almost relieved.   
And, then, Naegi falls, not to rise again.

**Author's Note:**

> a/n
> 
>   * **cw: violence mentions; alcohol; canonical character deaths mentions; blood; hanging; semi-explicit descriptions of dead bodies; smoking.**
>   * **comment/kudo if you read/liked!**
>   * *takes a deep sip of my apple beer* so. this is a thing, huh. it is quite a thing. an object which can be seen/perceived/felt, aight. i wrote this after episode two of mirai hen, when aoi was still dead, so. over a year ago, yeah. geez. but i found it in my gdrive, rehashed it, sent it to misty for further checking, and now here it is, back in its dubious glory.
>   * togami byakuya deserved better, i say as i realize how many sadfics with him i have written over the past two years.
>   * hit me up on twitter/tumblr if you wanna chat (or see nice stuff).
> 



End file.
